What is an EMS?

An Environmental Management System (EMS) is a framework that helps a
company achieve its environmental goals through consistent control of
its operations. The assumption is that this increased control will improve
the environmental performance of the company. The EMS itself does not
dictate a level of environmental performance that must be achieved; each
company's EMS is tailored to the company's business and goals.

An EMS encourages a company to continuously improve its environmental
performance. The system follows a repeating cycle (see figure). The company
first commits to an environmental policy, then uses its policy as a basis
for establishing a plan, which sets objectives and targets for improving
environmental performance. The next step is implementation. After that,
the company evaluates its environmental performance to see whether the
objectives and targets are being met. If targets are not being met, corrective
action is taken. The results of this evaluation are then reviewed by top
management to see if the EMS is working. Management revisits the environmental
policy and sets new targets in a revised plan. The company then implements
the revised plan. The cycle repeats, and continuous improvement occurs.

Figure 1: The continuous improvement cycle.

The most commonly used framework for an EMS is the one developed by the
International Organization for Standardization (ISO) for the ISO 14001
standard. Established in 1996, this framework is the official international
standard for an EMS.

The five main stages of an EMS, as defined by the ISO 14001 standard,
are described below:

1. Commitment and Policy
Top management commits to environmental improvement and establishes a
company environmental policy. The policy is the foundation of the EMS.

2. Planning
A company first identifies environmental aspects of its operations. Environmental
aspects are those items, such as air pollutants or hazardous waste, that
can have negative impacts on people and/or the environment. A company
then determines which aspects are significant by choosing criteria considered
most important by the company. For example, a company may choose worker
health and safety, environmental compliance, and cost as its criteria.
Once significant environmental aspects are determined, a company sets
objectives and targets. An objective is an overall environmental goal
(e.g., minimize use of chemical X). A target is a detailed, quantified
requirement that arises from the objectives (e.g., reduce use of chemical
X by 25% by September 1998). The final part of the planning stage is devising
an action plan for meeting the targets. This includes designating responsibilities,
establishing a schedule, and outlining clearly defined steps to meet the
targets.

3. Implementation
A company follows through with the action plan using the necessary resources
(human, financial, etc.). An important component is employee training
and awareness for all employees. Other steps in the implementation stage
include documentation, following operating procedures, and setting up
internal and external communication lines.

4. Evaluation
A company monitors its operations to evaluate whether targets are being
met. If not, the company takes corrective action.

5. ReviewTop management reviews the results of the evaluation to see if the
EMS is working. Management determines whether the original environmental
policy is consistent with company values. The plan is then revised to
optimize the effectiveness of the EMS. The review stage creates a loop
of continuous improvement for a company.